Belvidere, Belvidere North bowlers eye top-half finishes

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

BOONE COUNTY – Three of the four Boone County High School bowling teams are in the hunt for upper-echelon finishes in the NIC-10, as the 2015-2016 season comes to an end.

With three games left, Belvidere North’s girls (5-1) have the best shot at that goal and, if things go as hoped, would finish 8-1, one game behind league champion Harlem.

Their biggest challenge was Tuesday, Jan. 5 when they entertain Freeport (4-2) at 4 p.m. at The Cherry Bowl in Cherry Valley. Their final two games are at Rockford East (1 1/2-4 1/2) and home against Boylan (0-6).

Belvidere’s girls are 4-2 and had to defeat Guilford (4-2), Freeport (4-2) on Thursday and East (2 1/2-3 1/2) next week to finish at 7-2, in third place behind North and Harlem, respectively.

The Blue Thunder are 2-4 and would need to run the table against Freeport (4-2), East (1 1/2-4 1/2) and Boylan (0-6) for a 5-4 finish and fourth or fifth place, depending on how other games shake out.

Belvidere’s boys (1-5) are a long-shot but have shown they are a talented group that can surprise anyone.

The Lady Blue Thunder have three individuals in the Top 20, led by Ashley Platt who is tied for first place with a 216 average. Kylie Johnson is eighth, averaging 197, while Annissa Hintt is 17th, carrying a 186 average.

Platt’s best series, a 706, is good for third place in the conference after six games. Hintt’s 268 single game has her in fourth place individually.

Other contributors for North have been Alexis Bendorf, with a 173 average; Emily Nakashima, a 171; Brynn Lambrecht, a 169; and Kaitlynn Trimble and Marian Anderson, each with a 159.

Team-wise North’s 1,246 single game and 3,604 series are good for second place in the conference to date.

The Lady Bucs are led by Sara Deddo and Holley Steelberg, each averaging 183 so far this winter. Steelberg’s 257 single game and 621 series also are tops for her team.

Hailey Carter is averaging 173 per game; Hannah Lowery, a 170; Madelyn Deardorff, a 163; and Alexis Sherman, a 156.

For Belvidere North’s boys, Jordan Paulson leads the way with a per-game average of 214, followed by David Rayphole, checking in with a 211. Both have passed the 700 mark with series of 714 and 707, respectively.

Other regulars this season are Garrett Nelson, carrying a 206 average; Javier Martinez, a 199; Josh Pawlowski, a 195; and Peyton Lutzow, a 194. Logan Blankenship has bowled in five varsity games and is averaging 191 per outing.

On the junior varsity level, Blankenship has a 278 high game and a 706 series, with his series No. 1 in the conference.

Nelson’s 267 single game is high for the Thunder, as is Paulson’s 714 series.

Belvidere’s boys are led by Joe Gallagher, who’s averaging 206 and earlier this season recorded a 257 single game and a 748 series. But Ben Deardorff’s 278 single game is the Buc benchmark, with his 715 series not far behind Gallagher’s personal best. Deardorff is averaging 194 per game, second best on the team.

Among the other regulars Larry Tripamer is averaging 189; Zachary Brawner, 185; Kevin Jenks, 181; and Brock Irwin, 166. Tripamer owns a 258; Jenks has a 661 series to his credit.